Key winder and casing for dispensing contents of collapsible tubes



1950 H. c. MORRIS E.TAL 2,530,476

KEY WINDER AND CASING FOR DISPENSING CONTENTS OF COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Sept. 4, 1948 I N V EN TORS HARRY c. MORRIS 1;; JEAN JA col/E5 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 21, 1950 KEY WINDER. AND CASING FOR- DISPENSING CONTENTS OF COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Harry G. Morris and Jean Jacques, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application September 4, 1948, Serial No. 47,772

Claims. (01. 222100) This invention relates to paste dispensers, i. e. to devices useful in dispensing products such as tooth paste and the like in desired quantities from collapsible tubes.

The chief aim of our invention is to provide a device of the kind referred to which is simple in construction; which lends itself to ready fabrication in quantity at small cost; which is easy to operate and refill when the paste supply is exhausted; which is sanitary and favors economic use of the paste; which is immune against clogging or dripping; and which, moreover, is

neat and attractive in appearance.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a view, in side elevation, of a paste dispenser conveniently embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 shows the dispenser in front elevation, with its lower portion broken away and illustrated in vertical section.

Fig. 3 shows the device in top plan.

Figs. 4 and 5 are horizontal sections taken as indicated respectively by the angled arrows IVIV and VV in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a cut-01f slide forming a part of the device; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing how an empty paste tube is removed from the dispenser.

In these illustrations we have shown our improved dispenser in a form suitable for use in bath rooms or lavatories as a means for dispensing tooth paste. As shown, it comprises a support In which may be integrally fashioned from sheet metal with a back H, a top It, a side it and a bottom 14. The support It is adapted to be affixed to a vertical surface S by means of headed screws l5 (Figs. 1 and 3) of which the shanks pass through suitably located holes in the back H. The side l3 of the support I!) is provided with a slot l6 which has a rearward lateral offset as at I? at its upper end, and which is inclined somewhat to the vertical for a purpose later on explained. The bottom it of the support 10 has a square notch l8 which is open laterally in a direction away from the side wall I3. Eemovably connected to the bottom I4 of the support is a holder in the form of a block 29 which is longitudinally grooved at opposite sides as at 2| to engage the side edges of the notch l8, and which has an axial bore 22 tapped at the upper end to receive the threaded neck N of an invertcd collapsible paste tube T. Guided for end- '2 the holder 20 is a cut-off slide 23 whereof the rear end is turned up as at 2 in Figs. 1, 5 and 6. By means of a helical spring 25 in tension between the upturned end ?t of the slide and an anchorage 26 within a recess at the rear of the holder, the slide 23 is yieldingly held forward normally with its front end portion overlapping the bottom of the bore 22 in said holder to prevent oozing of the paste from the tube T. To

the bottom of the slide 23 is attached a stirrup 26 which serves both as a rest and an abutment for the bristle end of a tooth brush B (see Fig. l) which is to receive paste from the tube. In applying the brush B, it is thrust into the stirrup 26 whereby the slide 23 is moved inwardly in opposition to the spring 25 to uncover the bore 22 of the tube holder 28 and thus allow the paste to come through.

For the purpose of expelling the paste from the tube T, we have provided a wrap key 2! which with a manipulating head 28 and a shank 29 which latter is slitted as at as, the slit being open in a direction away from the side 93 of the support and adapted to receive the straight fiat transverse sealing retroversion at the bottom of the paste tube shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Moreover, as shown, the shank 28 of the key 2? passes through the slot It on the side it of the support H! with the head 28 bearing on the outer face of said slide, and a collar on said shank bearing against the other face. As a consequence, the key 2? is held assembled with the support with. capacity for rotation and movement of its shank up and down in the slot 86.

In preparation for use of the dispenser, the key 27 is brought to the top of the support It and its shank 2i} temporarily lodged in the lateral oifset IT at the upper end of the slot It. With this preparation, the holder biock Z0 is removed and the neck of the tube T screwed into the bore 22 of said block which is thereupon replaced with the tube upstanding therefrom. Concurrently with this replacement, the key 2] is moved forward from the offset ii into the slot 5 for entry of the sealing retroversion of the paste tube T into the slit Sh of the key shank 29.

In the use of the dispenser, the tooth crush 13 is thrust into the stirrup 25, the slide 23 being thereby shifted rearwardly against the yielding force of the spring 25, whereupon the key 21 is turned to wrap the tube T to the extent required for extrusion of the desired amount of the paste. As the brush B is subsequently removed, the extruded paste is cut off by automatic forward wise movement longitudinally of the bottom of a movement of the slide 23 under the influence of its spring 25. Due to the inclination of the slot I6, the key 21, in descending as the paste is used up, is caused to move laterally inward of the support away from the axis of the tube '1 in a manner which will be readily understood from Fig. 1, so as to compensate for the increasing diameter of the coil C (Fig. 7) resulting from the wrapping of the tube. 7 against the possibility of outward displacement of the holder 23 from the support 10. Upon exhaustion of the supply of the paste, the key 21 is reversely rotated to an extent sufficient for easesaid top for convenience of grasping when itisdesired to remove them.

In order that the paste tube may be ordinarily concealed from view, we have further provided. a retractable door 33, which, in conjunction with the support l0, forms a complete casing or housing. Like the support, this door 33 may be fashioned from sheet metal to right angular cross sectional configuration as in Fig. 3 3'4 and 35 to serve respectively as the opposite side and front of the housing, it being hingedly connected at 36' to the vertical edge of the back H of the support and formed at its swinging edge with a tongue 31 to engage over the vertical edge of the side l3 of said housing.

While, by way of example, we have shown and described our dispenser in a form intended for tooth paste, it is not limited to such use since, by suitable modifications within the scope of the broader of the appended claims, it may be used without sacrifice of any of the advantages hereinbefore pointed out, in dispensing other materials in paste form marketed in collapsible tubes.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

I. In a paste dispenser, a support adapted to be secured to an upright surface and having a back, a side with a slot therein, and a bottom with a laterally open notch therein; a holder with In this way, we insure;

with wings a tapped vertical axis bore removably engaged in the notch in the bottom of the support and adapted to receive the threaded neck of an inverted collapsible paste tube; a wrapping key with a manipulating head, and with a shank passing through the slot in the side of the support and having a longitudinal slit open in the direction of the notch in the support bottom for engaging the straight crosswise bottom sealing retroversion of the tube.

2. A paste dispenser in accordance with claim 1, wherein the slot in the side of the support is somewhat inclined to the vertical to compensate for increase in the diameter of the wrap of the tube as the key descends in said slot with consumption of the paste.

3. A paste dispenser according to claim 1,

' wherein the holder provides a guide for a cutoff slide, and wherein a spring means normally maintains the slide advanced across the bore in the holder.

4. A paste dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the holder provides guidance for a transverse slide; wherein a spring means normally maintains the slide advanced across the bore of the holder; and wherein the slide has a pendent abutment for engagement by a brush through which it can be moved in opposition to the spring means to uncover the bore in the holder when paste is. tobe expressed from the tube by turning the wrap key.

5. A dispenser for tooth paste according to claim 1, wherein the. support also has a top; wherein a retractable door with a side and a front form, with the support, a housing for the paste tube; and wherein the top of said holder has one or more apertures for downward insertion of the handle ends of one or more tooth brushes.

HARRY C. MORRIS. JEAN JACQUES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record, in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES. PATENTS Number Name Date 1,854,147 Guenther Apr. 12, 1932 2,068,023 Harp Jan. 19, 1937 2,168,080 Allen "Aug. 1, 1939 2,251,574 ONeill Aug. 5, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 101,898 Sweden Apr. 24, 1941 

